These are Wulfenite crystals from the Purple Passion Mine, near Wickenburg, AZ.

Some of the Wulfenite crystals from the Purple Passion mine are so covered with a brushlike overgrowth that the boys at the mine call them "fuzzy tabs".

Click on the small image to see a larger one!

It kind of looks like the fuzzy stuff is overgrowth on a regular tabby crystal, rather than corrosion of a thicker, blocky crystal. What do you think? This would be known as "epitaxial" crystal growth. This is a new image that Bill gave me at the Flagg show at Mesa Community College.

This image shows two tabular Wulfenite crystals with epitaxial intergrowth between them. I think this rather graphically illustrates that the "fuzz" is indeed epitaxial growth! I love it when my questions get answered so quickly! :>

Here we have a radiating group of Wulfenite crystals showing the elongated tetragonal bipyramidal habit we are calling "acicular". It looks to me as if they are in a more precise configuration than what might be expected from a random group. Perhaps they are growing from the faces a micro crystal "seed". It is fun to speculate, eh?

This image shows a very exciting new discovery at the Purple Passion Prospect. The fellas have found that they have a treasure trove of glorious fluorescent minerals, a cache to rival the Franklin zinc deposits of New Jersey! In one specimen, they can see the brilliant red glow of Calcite, deep violet blue of Fluorite, and bright green of Willemite! (Willemite glows bright green under shortwave ultraviolet light, and continues to glow when the light is removed. This phenomena is known as "phosphorescence"). This stuff is amazing! Ed told me that when he takes his short wave black light underground, it is spectacular! Be careful when you click on this little jewel! (These terrific images were scanned and cropped by my old pal Ken Poulson, Mountain Design, Pinetop, AZ. Thanx, Ken!)

Well, I will have some more from the Purple Passion in the coming months. Ken scanned a bunch of images for me! All the dandy photos are by Bill Gardner. Great Job, Bill!